Eagle Rock Ranch in Colorado: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Eagle Rock Ranch is a Park County cattle ranch near Jefferson, Colorado, owned and run by Dave and Jeannie Gottenborg. Sand County Foundation named it the 2026 Colorado Leopold Conservation Award recipient for restoring a degraded landscape through rotational grazing, creek and fish habitat work and wildlife-friendly management, while selling its own finished beef.
| Location | Near Jefferson, Park County, Colorado |
|---|---|
| Founded | Gottenborgs became owners about 15 years before the 2026 announcement |
| Sectors | Cattle; direct-marketed beef; hay; wildlife habitat |
| Scale | Total acreage not published; solar water system feeds 10 stock tanks |
| Why it is elite | 2026 Colorado Leopold Conservation Award recipient |
| Ownership | Dave and Jeannie Gottenborg; daughter Erin Michalski handles finishing, processing and marketing |
| Official website | Sand County Foundation Leopold Conservation Award announcement |
History of Eagle Rock Ranch
Dave and Jeannie Gottenborg became owners of Eagle Rock Ranch about 15 years before the 2026 award announcement. Sand County Foundation said the property was a 'wounded landscape' when they arrived. The family set out to restore it while building a working cattle business around it.
Their daughter, Erin Michalski, handles finishing, processing and marketing of the ranch's beef. Sand County Foundation announced the ranch as the 2026 Colorado Leopold Conservation Award recipient on April 20, 2026. The $10,000 award is presented in June at the Colorado Cattlemen's Association Annual Convention, and the program is backed by American Farmland Trust, Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust and USDA NRCS Colorado.
What Eagle Rock Ranch Grows and Raises
Eagle Rock Ranch runs cattle under rotational grazing, with hay fields managed to leave stubble that traps snow and controls erosion. A solar-powered water system feeds 10 stock tanks, which lets the ranch move cattle through pastures without relying on fossil-fueled pumping. The family has restored creek and fish habitat and added bird, bat and owl boxes.
Wildlife is part of the plan. Elk and other ungulates pass through the property, and the ranch takes part in a voluntary elk migration agreement. It also hosts research with PERC on wildlife crossings, and the Colorado Natural Heritage Program surveyed its plants, birds and invertebrates. Beef is finished, processed and sold through an on-site retail store and online.
How Eagle Rock Ranch Makes Money
On-site retail store
Beef is sold through a retail store on the ranch, which captures the full value of finishing and processing instead of selling calves at the sale barn. Hours and products should be confirmed with the ranch.
Online beef sales
The ranch also sells its beef online, extending reach beyond Park County and the nearby Front Range. Pricing and shipping details were not published in the sources used here.
Research and partnerships
Hosting wildlife-crossing research with PERC and a survey by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program ties the ranch to conservation partners. These relationships support the stewardship story that supports its brand.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Eagle Rock Ranch
Own the finish line. Having a family member responsible for finishing, processing and marketing lets the ranch keep margin that usually goes to feeders and packers, and it gives direct feedback from customers.
Document the landscape you are restoring. Third-party plant, bird and invertebrate surveys, a published elk migration agreement and ongoing research create a record that supports both the brand and applications for conservation programs. Building a solar water system and managing hay stubble also shows how low-input practices protect soil and snowmelt in a high-elevation climate.
It takes a particular kind of rancher to start with a wounded landscape and end up hosting owl boxes, bat boxes and elk on a regular migration schedule. At farm.FM we admire the Gottenborgs' guest list, and our farm satire and farm humor would gladly add a seat for the owls. Our ranch humor stays friendly, and the farm jokes will not ruffle a single feather in the Park County boxes.
Part newsroom, part radio dial, farm.FM bills itself as America's first satirical farm site and plays Tractor Tunes, its country music for farmers. Browse a farm.FM writer's back catalog to see the style.
How to Contact Eagle Rock Ranch
No official ranch website appeared in my research, so this is the 2026 award announcement. The ranch sells beef through an on-site store and online; confirm details with the ranch. Information as of November 2026.
Eagle Rock Ranch Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Sand County Foundation announcement - Official 2026 Colorado Leopold Conservation Award release
- Western Livestock Journal coverage - Independent news report on the award
- USDA NASS Census of Agriculture - Official data on Colorado farms, cattle and land
- Colorado Department of Agriculture - State agriculture department
- Colorado Cattlemen's Association - State cattle producer association behind the award presentation
Eagle Rock Ranch FAQ
Where is Eagle Rock Ranch?
It is near Jefferson in Park County, Colorado.
What award did Eagle Rock Ranch win?
It was named the 2026 Colorado Leopold Conservation Award recipient.
Does Eagle Rock Ranch sell beef?
Yes. Beef is finished, processed and sold through an on-site retail store and online.
Who runs Eagle Rock Ranch?
Dave and Jeannie Gottenborg own and run it, with daughter Erin Michalski handling finishing, processing and marketing.
Eagle Rock Ranch shows how a restoration-minded Park County family can turn rotational grazing and habitat work into a direct beef business. Read our Colorado farms guide for the wider picture, and see how Eagle Rock Ranch compares with the other profiled operations.